1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to gun devices and more specifically it relates to an air powered gun system for allowing a user to fire large projectiles at extremely high velocities by utilizing a conventional air pump.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Air gun devices have been in use for years. The most common air gun device utilized is commonly called the BB gun. These air guns typically have the air pump built within the gun stock and provide pressurized air for shooting a small projectile such as a BB or a pellet. Another version of common air gun devices utilize air cartridges that are removably inserted into the air gun device thereby providing pressurized air for shooing a small projectile such as a BB or a pellet.
The main problem with conventional air gun devices is that they are incapable of shooting large projectiles such as a wooden dowel or lighted projectiles. A problem with air gun devices with the air pump built within is that they are extremely bulky and cumbersome to handle because of the extra mechanical components required to operate the air pump. An obvious problem with air gun devices that utilize air cartridges is that when all of the air cartridges are exhausted the user is unable to utilize the air gun. The present invention solves all of these problems and provides additional benefits not known or disclosed in the prior art.
Examples of air gun devices include U.S. Pat. No. 627,320 to Benjamin; U.S. Pat. No. 2,273,678 to Webby; U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,832 to D'Andrade; U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,472 to Fekete et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,705 to Jacoby; U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,764 to Allport; U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,041 to Haley which are all illustrative of such prior art.
Benjamin (U.S. Pat. No. 627,320) discloses an air rifle with the air pump permanently attached to the lower portion of the air rifle making it bulky and cumbersome to operate.
Webby (U.S. Pat. No. 2,273,678) discloses a repeating air gun with the air pump built into the rear portion of the stock with a spring-loaded shaft extending outwardly. This invention is another example of an extremely bulky and cumbersome invention.
D'Andrade (U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,832) discloses a multi-shot soft projectile pressurized toy gun having a main housing, a handle, a trigger, and an inflatable bladder.
Fekete et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,472) discloses a toy projectile launching devices having a main tubular member in connection with an air pump, an air storage tank and a projectile launching housing rotatably coupled to the main tubular member.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for allowing a user to fire large projectiles at extremely high velocities by utilizing a conventional air pump. Conventional air gun devices are incapable of firing a relatively large projectile because of the relatively low pressures they are capable of accumulating.
In these respects, the air powered gun system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing a user to fire large projectiles at extremely high velocities by utilizing a conventional air pump.